Ab Initio
---- The sun was setting, trees cast dusky as sunset mist filtered through the vast forest. Wren's steps were heavy with fatigue, the oversized sword scraping against the ground, creating ruts as she walked. She was dirty, a layer of grime and sweat coating her little body. She hated the feeling. It was as if bugs were crawling on her skin. More than that, she was frustrated, throat bobbing as she tried to keep her breathing steady. She could usually feel it. She felt the beat of the earth but she couldn't feel home. When she was there she could feel the energy her civilization had. But now that she was outside the wards, she felt nothing familiar. All she had wanted to do was practice more. She wanted to practice the steps they had began to learn in school. And of course, she had gone outside the wards to do so, taking Drywrhydd with her. It was her sword. Her father had forged it for her Vela ceremony. Wren had taken it more than a few years early, but nonetheless, it was still hers to wield. Wren was exhausted. The blade was heavy, unfit for her seven-year-old body, despite her determination to try. By the time she had shown any inclination to give up, the sun had begun to set and she realized she was hopelessly lost. That led her to her current situation. Frustrated, on the brink of tears, hungry and tired, wandering all alone in the forest past the wards with no way of finding home. Not far from the elven girl, a woman with long scarlet hair and blue eyes was training nearby. The Holy Knight Leader, Azriel, wearing shorts and a tank top, barefoot and doing several stretching maneuvers and preps. Azriel grabbed her red blade in her right hand, holding it in one hand "Verba Dei." She spoke, placing her right hand underneath her left arm, near her abdomen, before swinging from left to right, sending a wave of air pressure through the trees. The trees followed by falling down, the clean cuts stretching a long distance from where Azriel stood, unaware of anyone being nearby. Wren heard the creaking of trees above her, looking up as wood began to crash around her. She blinked through half-closed eyes, recognizing damage as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She heard her heart beating as she raised her sword with aching arms, holding it above her to try to protect from a falling tree. Wren didn't want to die. But she was almost too tired to move. At that moment, Azriel noticed the presence of the little girl, and upon closer inspection saw the shimmering blade when the sun's light hit against it, as Wren tried to raise it with her arms. Stomping her foot once into the dirt, she left an imprint before rushing towards her as the trees made their way down on her. "Ave Maria!" by speaking these words and swinging her sword a few times, Azriel reduced the trees around Wren into harmless wood chips. It was like dust rather than the hunks of wood they were a second ago, and the moment she stopped, a gust of wind from her momentum blew them away without a single one touching a hair on the child. Azriel held Wren's blade, gently placing it down as she kneeled towards the girl "Little child! I apologize. I was unaware you were here." Azriel said, taking a good look at Wren "Oh dear, you look awful. Are you alright, child?" She asked, trying to help the child rest before trying to do anything. Her sleepy terror turned to awe when the tree above her turned to shards, looking up until her sword was gently taken from her hand. Her expression turned puzzled, looking at the woman in front of her. She sniffed cautiously. She didn't smell right. Her ears weren't pointed. Wren didn't know what to make of the other older creature. Besides the fact that she spoke the common tongue and had taken her Drywrhydd. When Azriel reached out to touch her, Wren snapped, grabbing her hand and biting it. She scampered over to her sword and picked it up again, the blade shaking in her grip. She tried to best she could to look ferocious, knees bent, shoulders raised and nose crinkled into a snarl. "Oh." Azriel didn't seem bothered by the elf's teeth digging into her hand, "Hahaha! What a lively one!" She chuckled, poking Wren's nose as if she were a puppy "You must be hungry. Child, would you like to eat something?" Wren recoiled at the motion, opening her mouth to speak in broken words, "Do not touch me," She didn't trust Azriel. She wasn't an elf. She was wearing weird clothes. "Oh, don't worry! I'm friendly!" Azriel said, shaking her hands and taking a step back "Here, you're hungry and thirsty, I'm sure!" Azriel quickly run back to her backpack, grabbing it and running back to Wren "Here." She began to pulling out a bottle of cold water, kept cold using ice runes on the plastic bottle. Second was what the average man would call "cup noodle ramen" "I can make you something nice to eat in ten minutes." Azriel said, putting down the water and stepping back, "That's not a bad deal, is it?" Wren's eyebrows furrowed and her head cocked to the left, examining the foreign materials skeptically. There was water in the thin clear container, but she had no idea what was in the strange white container. She plunked down on the forest floor, letting the blade fall out of her hand, instead, tapping the top of the ramen container. "This is food?" "Yes, it is!" Azriel said. She quickly ran back to where she got her backpack, returning with a mobile stove. She pulled another bottle of water, one that was in the temperature of the environment, and poured it into a pot, before heating up the waters until they were boiling on the stove. She then ripped open the cup, pouring the hot water into it, and sealing it with a spare plate "Now we wait three minutes, and you have something ready to eat! With chicken sauce!" She said in a giddy tone, sitting and waiting for the food to be ready, as the two stared at the cup for three minutes. Azriel removed the plate, a cloud of steam being freed, using a fork to keep the noodles in as she poured all the hot water out of it and into the ground, before presenting it to Wren "Here! Eat it!" Wren watched the process with wide-eyes, marveling at things she had never seen before, "And this. This isn't... um... Magic?" She said, struggling to translate into the speech Azriel could understand. Wren took the plate, raising the fork to her mouth and chewed carefully. The foot burned pleasantly against her tongue and she found it quite similar to some foods she ate at home. Wren looked up at Azriel, "Ffowlyn?" She proclaimed curiously, before noticing her mistake. She just didn't know the word to say. "This isn't magic! This is food! Easy to make food." Azriel pulled a can out of backpack, opening it, releasing a sweet chocolate aroma from within it "And these..." She pulled out a singular disc, made out of dough, and with chocolate topping, "A cookie!" She handed over the cookie to Wren "This is the sweet stuff you eat to make yourself feel happy. It always works!". Wren ravenously ate the noodles, gulped down the water and then looked at the cookie. She took it out of Azriel's hand, smelling it. It was sweet and smelled not unlike honeyed pastries she had at home. Wren took a bite, skeptical at the brown pieces in it, though it smelled sweet. The taste was unlike anything she had before, rich, creamy and unfamiliarly delicious. Her eyes widened further, "This is?" "Cookie! Chocolate chip cookie. A gift from Heaven itself." Azriel said, pulling an entire packet of cookies from her backpack "I have moooooore~ BUT! It has sugar." Azriel put away the cookies "You need to eat healthy too, so let's make you a salad or something. Maybe just some orange juice. Or milk!" Ruffling through her stuff once more, Azriel pulled a map out, looking at it. She pointed at a specific spot on the map, showing it to Wren "We're here. If we keep going in a the designated route I set-up, we'll arrive in a town and a restaurant! You look hungry and thirsty. We could get a room in an inn and some quality, five-star food!" She excitedly suggested to Wren. Going to town after her training was a part of her schedule anyway. After all, it's not every year she gets a week off work. "But, you're not family," Wren said reluctantly, switching languages to the Elvish language, the notes rolling off her tongue easily as opposed to her hesitant broken speech, "You're not an elf either. I need to go back." "Family is manageable~" Azriel said whimsically, "We can build that, so let's start as friends." She smiled, patting Wren on the head, ruffling her hair "Do you want to see the world, little one?". Wren shook her head. This wasn't right. "No," she said, "I want Home." At this point, she was confused and overwhelmed. She didn't know the Lady, but she was nice and gave Wren good food. But... She had to get home too. "Alright. Do you know where home is, dear?" Azriel asked Wren "I'll help you. Do you remember the way?" She shook her head again, eyebrows creasing into a defeated frown. "..." Azriel scratched her cheek, before putting her hand on Wren's head again "Well, we can deal with that a bit later." She said, standing up "Town isn't far off. Do you want to sleep on a big bed and take a nice bath? I can even get you more cookies and food. It can be a bit fun, before we start looking for your home?". Wren nodded, standing with new energy. She was still tired, though having food in her helped. She picked up Drywrhydd, holding it in two hands. After a two hour walk, the two eventually reached town, taking place in an inn. Paying for two and eyeing the people who couldn't help but keep their eyes to themselves in regards to Wren's state, Azriel escorted the girl to their room, a two bed, and one bathroom space. "We'll rest here for a while. I'm going to take a bath. Training makes you work up a sweat, after all." Azriel said, grabbing some clothes from her backpack "Feel free to join me. I have some spare clothes you can put on." She said, closing the bathroom door behind her as she went inside, the sound of water starting to pour being heard outside. Wren followed her in, leaving the sword on the ground. She was complacent as Azriel plucked leaves and twigs out of her hair, gently ducking her head underwater and cleaning her hair, drying both of them off and braiding Wren's damp silver locks, lastly dumping her into an oversized teeshirt that hung off her body like a dress. Azriel put on a short-sleeved shirt, a tanktop under it, and wore a pair of underwear, leaving herself barefoot, but getting comfortable. She lied down on the hotel room's bed "Alrighty~" Azriel stretched her arms "You want to rest a bit? I have a book you can read to pass the time." "I can't read your language," Wren said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. She sat perched on the corner of the bed, a faint redness in her cheeks from embarrassment. "I don't know much of it. I'm still.... learn... Learning?" She questioned. "Oh, that makes sense..." Azriel perked up quickly, leaning closer to Wren "Let me read you then~ I'll teach you best I can!" She opened the book, showing the words to Wren "This is my favorite book. It's about the Angels. Ever heard a those?" Wren thought for a moment, "They're like birds?" "Well...sorta." Azriel opened the book, on a page where an image of an effeminate being with feathery wings, wearing a white robe and with arms spread to the sides "They're what give children hope and dreams. They gave me those and helped me become who I am today. Angels make sure you're never alone." She said to Wren, smiling widely "You can always trust an Angel." Wren looked at the photo to Azriel, noticing similarities within the serene facial expressions and hue of hair. She pondered for a moment. "So... you're an angel? I can trust you?" Azriel froze up for a moment. Externally, she looked the same, smiling, happy, but internally, she was screaming due to Wren's unexpected reply, practically losing her mind over how touched she felt, both by the young elf calling her an angel, and the simple gesture being adorable. "Yes~ I'm an Angel, here to make sure you're not alone." She replied, keeping herself composed. Externally. Wren's head tilted to the left, a large smile spreading across her features, cheeks pushed up to close her eyes, "You're family then!" Her internal screeching didn't get better, culminating in Azriel embracing Wren in a hug "You're so adorable! Yes I'm family! I'll keep you safe~" Azriel rubbed her cheek against Wren's, smiling silly, "We should get you some cute new clothes and some good food soon!" Wren blinked, slightly uncomfortable at the touch, though she settled into it. When Azriel broke free, Wren frowned slightly. "Weren't you going to tell me the story?" "Ah, of course!" Azriel said, picking up the book again, going back to the first page "Let's start from the beginning." She said, clearing her throat before she began reading the tale to Wren, intending on finishing at least a hundred pages for the child. With eyes widened, Wren listened intently, leaning across Azriel's lap to look at the pictures until she stopped reading. Wren looked up, "Why'd you stop?" "Because we need to head out soon." Azriel said, patting Wren's head "We'll be getting you some new clothes and some proper food.". Getting off the bed, Azriel wore proper clothing to take out in public, and handing Wren one of her shirts, although it was a bit too large for her "You'll have to make it do with this for a bit." Azriel said, helping Wren put the shirt on "Ah, this reminds me, I haven't asked about your name, have I?" "It's Wren Llewellyn, you?" Afterward, the two left the inn, going over to get clothes for Wren before heading out to a nearby restaurant. Azriel insisted on getting Wren a "cute short shorts", but Wren didn't quite feel it was right. Eventually, it was settled on a short-sleeved white shirt and a coat with furred lining, with black pants and proper shoes for Wren. Soon after they ate a restaurant, nothing too expensive or fancy, but simple. Azriel took Wren with her onto a train, one heading out from where they are over to Fiore, where Azriel needs to go for business purposes. On the train, they both next to each other, with Azriel reading the Sorcerer's Magazine. Wren's legs swung back and forth as she watched the scenery roll by. She had been scared at first, though Azriel reassured her that the metal machine wouldn't harm her. "Oh, here come the drinks." Azriel said, as one of the worker ladies strolled with drinks for sale "Do you want anything?" Wren looked at the cart, scanning the labels for any words she recognized. Instead, she depended on the photos, pointing to a can with a decal of a lemon. Azriel paid and handed her, popping the tab for the small girl. Wren took it, sniffing it as the carbonated air tickled her nose. She took a sip carefully and nearly spit it out in surprise. It was... bubbling, sweet and sour. "What is this?!" Wren beamed at Azriel. "Soda! Lemon-lime flavored, to be specific," Azriel said "It's a drink in a metal can that's meant to give you energy! I should introduce you to coffee when you're older enough for it," She explained to Wren, ordering a drink for herself, a cup of hot coffee, taking a sip "Ah~ This thing is like a legal drug to revive you when you're tired." The young girl settled for taking small sips of her soda, nodding along to Azriel's commentary as they continued through the countryside. Halfway through the journey Wren fell asleep, contently leaning against Azriel, breathing softly. She didn't understand much of what was happening, only that Azriel was safe and she trusted her. "Come on now," Azriel gently nudged Wren, preventing her from falling into a slumber, "We're almost there," She said as sounds began to grow louder, and the scenery slowly changed. Passing through a tunnel. Exiting the train station later, they found themselves within a city, bustling with people of many kinds, with vehicles and horses, and much more. The buildings were high, the view extravagant, and the place was a complete shift in tone from their last stop "My home is not far off from here. Just a few more minutes of walking," Azriel said to Wren. Wren stepped off the train platform and into the city of Crocus. Her breath caught in her throat. The city was breathtaking as sounds and smells wrapped around her. She felt like she was choking on her own breath. Overwhelming smells of food, body odor, and perfume drowned her mouth and nose while the cacophony of sound burst her sensitive ears. Wren gasped, her breathing getting shallower and faster while her knees felt weak and spots darkened her vision. She could hear Azriel's voice. It was louder than the rest. Blaring in her ears. Then, everything went dark. The next time she woke up, Wren was lying in bed, nicely tucked in with clear care. The room she was in was pleasant. The bed was located on the side of the room, and in front of her, beside the sofa and TV, was a brick fireplace, lit and giving off a soothing warmth. "You're up. Thank goodness..." Azriel said, appearing from the other room, the kitchen, wearing her tank top, with an apron over, carrying a plate of food with her "I was worried you had some kind of...something." She said, putting the plate of food down on the table nearby, as she crouched down to Wren's level "Are you okay?" Wren stirred, murmuring in confusion, "What?" "It's alright." Azriel happily smiled towards Wren, patting her on the head "I'm your family now, so I'll make sure you'll get used to this and have a long, happy life. How's that sound?" Wren nodded, "Ok..." She turned her head away from the light and pulled the covers up. Her brain was fogged by sleep and sensory overload. All she knew was she was safe. Azriel was safe and would not harm her.